FRANKLIN, Mass.- The Dean College Bulldogs Softball team split their doubleheader with Mitchell on Wednesday, winning game one 11-9 and dropping game two 8-6 on the Grant Field turf.  The results bring the Bulldogs overall record to 5-1 on the year and improve Mitchell to 3-6.

GAME 1

A four run sixth inning erased an 8-7 deficit and put Dean in the driver's seat to close out the game.  Angelina Taylor doubled, scoring two, Alexis Brown tripled, scoring Taylor, and Nikki Sandell singled scoreing Brown.  Taylor was able to slam the door in the top of the seventh to preserve the Bulldogs victory. 

Taylor, who pitched all 14 innings for the Bulldogs in the doubleheader, was 2-4 with 3 RBI's in game one at the plate.

Mitchell jumped on Dean early, scoring two runs in the top of the first, but the Bulldogs bounced back with two of their own to knot the game up after one.  Suzanne Vachon homered for the Mariners, and Megan Elphick doubled in a run.  Melanie Rios Nevarez hit a two run shot in the bottom half.

Mitchell scored three in the top of third, powered by a two run single from Taylor Duchesneau.  Dean responded in the bottom of the fourth with 5 runs to take the lead for good.  Samantha Mulcahy hit a 3 run single, Taylor helped her own cause with an RBI triple, and Brown singled scoring Taylor. 

Elphick led Mitchell with 3 hits and 3 RBI's, while Duchesneau helped her own cause with 2 hits and 3 RBI's.  She pitched a complete game, surrendering 13 hits and 11 runs, while striking out 3.

GAME 2

A five run fifth inning proved to be the difference for the Mariners, as they took an 8-3 lead and were able to hold on for the 8-6 victory.  

A line drive to right field from Italia Krick was misplayed, scoring one and loading the bases for Reanna Clark.  Clark hit a grand slam to right center field, blowing open the tight contest.  

Dean chipped away at the 5 run lead in the game's final three innings, but could not put enough runs across to tie the game.  

A home run from Danielle Autieri in the first inning plated two, giving Mitchell an early lead again.  Dean responded with one in the bottom of the first and two more in the third to tie the game at 3.  

Clark's grand slam extended the Mariner's lead to 8-3 after 4 and a half, but Dean responded with a run in each of the next 3 innings.  Courtney Holden grounded out scoring Nevarez in the bottom of the fifth, Nevarez grounded out scoring Sandell in the bottom of the sixth, and Holden homered in the bottom of the seventh.  

But it was not enough for Dean, as Vachon recorded the final two outs after Holden's homer to send the Mariner's home with a split.  

Vachon got the win for Mitchell, improving to 1-1 on the season.  She pitched a complete game, giving up 6 runs on 12 hits and striking out 3.  

Taylor received the loss for Dean, giving up 8 runs on 10 hits and striking out 4.  She is now 4-1 on the year. 

Autieri led the Mariners with 3 hits, and Mulcahy Taylor, Brown, Holden, and Sandell all had two hits for the Bulldogs.

Dean next plays a doubleheader home on Saturday against NHTI.

Mitchell plays a doubleheader vs Lyndon State tomorrow.